Bambina
by MelindaHP
Summary: Bella refuses to allow her unborn child to be born into a world such hers, meaningless and empty since the disappearance of the Cullens, who took away both her true family and her true love. After the comatose chapters of NM. Team Edward! Jacob will not be in this story at all! :)
1. Jump

Chapter 1: Jump

(Bella PoV)

 _I can't do this._

 _I just can't._

 _I don't have the strength to do this._

These were the thoughts that plagued me as I approached the edge of the jagged cliff, the wind whipping my hair wildly as I peered down into the blue-black ocean below. The storm continued around me, lightning flashing and thunder crashing. I looked toward the sky, momentarily mesmerized by the lightning bolt that materialized beyond the edge of the cliff face, so close it felt as if I could reach out and touch it.

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes. I let it out slowly, sighing as I did. It would be one of the last breaths I take, I realized, and I tried to enjoy it.

But I don't.

I have not really enjoyed anything in nearly four months. My life is meaningless, my heart broken and hollow since _he_ —I tried not to think his name—left me, taking his entire family with him. A jagged pain cut through me even at the thought of them…the Cullens…my family.

A single tear ran down my cheek, with more to follow.

No, my heart was shattered into a million pieces, pieces that could never be recovered. Even in the pain, I had struggled to keep my promise to him, to not do anything reckless or stupid. I had tried with everything I had.

But I couldn't keep that vow any longer.

Not after this.

Unconsciously, one hand dropped down to my abdomen, pressing delicately against the small but distinct bump beneath my baggy sweatshirt. I had found out I was pregnant with _his_ child nearly nine weeks ago. It had been the first thing to wake me up from my comatose state. I did not know what to do; for weeks I contemplated my options. I loved the baby within me, loved it more than anything in my lifeless world. And it was because of that love that I was doing this.

I looked down, down at least twenty stories, and saw my end nearing.

I could not bear to bring a child into this world without a father. I would not put my child through that; I would not let my child suffer, physically or emotionally. And there was no way to avoid that than to have he or she never been born.

The idea of never seeing my baby, never be able to cradle him or her in my arms, not even once, caused a crippling sensation through my chest, similar to the ache I feel when I think about the family who had abandoned me.

For one long moment, I allowed myself to daydream of what could have been.

I could imagine Alice going nuts planning a baby shower, endlessly buying clothes and gifts for both me and her unborn niece or nephew. I could imagine Emmett begging to teach him or her how to play football and video games. I could imagine Jasper teaching my baby to read and guarding him or her passionately, always in the background. I could imagine Carlisle being my personal doctor, I could imagine him holding his grandbaby in his arms, so gentle. I could imagine Esme helping me through my pregnancy, being the mother I had always wanted. I could imagine her happiness and being able to cook for two and to help care for her grandchild, which she was unable to do with her own. I imagined that Rosalie didn't despise me and she embraced me and her role as an aunt.

Lastly, I imagined _him_. I could easily imagine him as the best father in the world. His caring nature, his gentle touch…yes, he would have been the father of all fathers.

More tears fell freely from my eyes at the daydream that was never to be. I made no move to stop them. It would be the last time I cried.

I took a deliberate step toward my death.

I felt like I was out on the edge of Pride Rock in the movie "Lion King"; however, the screeching of the storm replaced the harmonic African chant that played with the rising of the sun. My toes caressed the side of the cliff, rough and unyielding. I built up the mental courage to force myself to jump.

"Bella! Don't!" The shout behind me, so familiar and melodic, nearly caused me to fall over the edge in surprise. I turned to look behind me and saw Alice Cullen and Jasper Hale staring back at me, their black eyes wide with fear. Alice was angled toward me, Jasper behind her, and her eyes were desperate. I stared in surprise and confusion, momentarily forgetting my impending death. My hallucinations never included Alice or Jasper. Either my mind has literally gone insane or…..

…or they're really here.

I shook my head mentally. No, that's impossible; he told me they would never return. But, here they were, right here in front of me. Jasper joined Alice, taking a step toward me.

"Bella, please, step away from the edge," Jasper's tone was soothing and I could feel the calm spreading through my body. I shook my head furiously.

"You're not here. You're not real. He told me. He told me you would never come back. You're not here," I muttered tearfully, shaking my head to clear it of the calm the hallucination-Jasper was impressing on me and the hallucinations themselves. They glanced at each other. Jasper took another step toward me.

"We are real, Bella. We came back. I came back," he stopped, looking down sheepishly, "I came back to apologize to you. About what happened on your birthday."

A flicker of feeling came back to me, not of Jasper's persuasion but my own accord. It was the first time I felt anything remotely positive in four months, save for when I first discovered I was pregnant. I felt sympathy and affection for Jasper, who tasted my emotions with curiosity.

"It wasn't your fault," I told him. Hallucination or not, he deserved the truth. "I was the one who got the paper cut." His face stretched slightly into a small smile, but the rest of his face was hard, calculating, cautious. He took another step toward me.

"We can argue about it as much as you want but please, Bella, get away from the cliff," he pleaded, his onyx eyes scared. Those dark eyes, so full of fear, reminded me of…..of him. Of….Edward. The sting that accompanied the name was imminent; however, it did not hurt quite as much. Confusion soon followed as I wondered the difference in the change. Jasper senses my reaction and uncertainty mixed with his insistence and pleading.

"Bella, please," Alice whispered. I locked eyes with her and then with Jasper. They made the pain less, I realized; that price is worth whether they were real or not; and, if they were real, that price was worth it when they left again.

I stepped away from the edge.

* * *

They drove me to a hotel in Seattle, far from the cliffs and the ocean. They checked into a room, with double queen beds and kitchenette. When we got to the room, I curled up on the window seat, furthest from the door. I refused to look at them, just as in the car.

I could not bare to have them touch me, partly because I knew it would be more painful when they left again, but also predominantly due to a strange instinct to not allow them to touch me, lest they touch my stomach and find that I'm pregnant, if they didn't know already. Initially, I could not decide whether they could hear the baby's heartbeat or not. Eventually, though, when they did not bring it up, I accepted that they couldn't.

They had tried to approach me several times, but I curled in on myself until they backed off. Soon they learned to keep their distance, ordering room service and leaving it on the tray by me before retreating to the other end of the room. I eyed the food; chicken and mashed potatoes. I took a hesitant bite of the chicken before diving in.

It was a bad idea, because within minutes of the first bite, I felt a familiar churning in my stomach. I lurched toward the bathroom, throwing up in the toilet. I felt a cool hand on my neck and forehead and I cringed away from it in alarm. I recoiled into the furthest corner from Alice on the bathroom floor, trembling slightly. She stared at me in shock, her eyes black and yearning. It hurt to refuse her, but I only got up and rinsed out my mouth.

I found my way to the bed, curling up into a small ball underneath the covers and closing my eyes. Jasper dimmed the lights and I soon passed out from exhaustion.

* * *

I awoke slowly, keeping my eyes closed and listening to the new but familiar voices above me.

"She couldn't have…there's no way she would…" the new male voice stammered, at a loss for words. I froze when I recognized the voice as Carlisle, my father for all intents and purposes. These hallucinations were getting more creative; maybe my mind was bored of its own lack of activity so it was compensating.

"She did, Carlisle. She would have jumped if we hadn't stopped," Alice whispered, fear in her voice. Again, I felt a small pang of guilt for scaring her. I could hear quiet sobbing in the background and wondered at the person who was crying. I wanted badly to know who it was and I was about to make my consciousness known when I felt a small tug at the crease of my elbow.

An IV.

I bolted out of bed, yelping as the IV needle was ripped out of my skin. All the vampires jumped in shock, heads whipping toward me. My eyes locked on Jasper momentarily and saw that he had cut off his breath and his eyes were wide. Carlisle was on his feet first, with Esme behind him. Her golden eyes were tortured and I realized she had been the one crying. In the back of my mind, I remembered that she had jumped off a cliff to kill herself after her newborn son had died. Another small flicker of guilt touched my mind briefly before nothing but fear replaced it as Carlisle approached me. I backed away feverishly, quickly hitting the corner of the room. A small whimper escaped my throat as I realized I was trapped.

Carlisle's eyes were wide in shock as he assessed me. His hands were out slightly in front of him, as if to show he wasn't armed.

"Bella," he murmured gently, his voice calm and controlled. I met his eyes, panicked.

"Bella," he repeated, "It's ok. It's all fine. Nothing is going to hurt you."

His promise was odd but I still felt slight comfort in it, enough comfort to admit to him the truth. I looked down at the floor, tears falling from my eyes directly onto the soft carpet as I shook my head, a small sob escaping my throat.

"No," I said, "It won't be. I can't do this. I can't."

I looked up at him desperately, hoping for him to understand. His eyes were still confused but I saw more concern for me in them. He took a tiny step in my direction and I eyed him carefully.

"Can't do what, Bella?" he asked. I sniffed and looked away for a moment before meeting his fearful gaze.

"I can't do this. I can't do this without him, without any of you. I can't bear to bring a baby into the world to have him or her suffer the way I have. I can't do it. I won't."

My declaration was met with stunned silence. The vampires were all frozen in shock, even Jasper, who had been at the other end of the room trying to control his thirst. I sighed, my breathing unsteady. I lifted my hands and, fingers trembling, unzipped my sweatshirt and pulled it off.

I stood now in a thin close-fitted tank top and my dark jeans. The tank top had fit me perfectly a few weeks ago, but now a sliver of skin was visible as it stretched over my baby bump. I placed a hand to my abdomen delicately, finding the wall with my other hand before sinking to the floor, my knees to my chest and arms cradling my unborn child protectively as the four vampires watched me in complete and absolute shock.

* * *

 **HEY GUYS *hides***

 **I know it's been a lonnnnnnnggg time but here is a new Bella pregnant story. It will be different from my first one so hope you enjoy it as much as you enjoyed Miracle of Love!**

 **You know I love reviews!**

 **~Melinda :)**


	2. Caution

Chapter 2: Caution  
(Bella PoV)

No one moved for a long time. Eventually, though, Carlisle pulled a small silver phone out of his pocket and dialed a number. He spoke to the person on the other end for a minute or so before hanging up. He turned to Alice, instructing her to get me dry clothes, specifically telling her to not get anything uncomfortable or expensive. She nodded and retreated from the room, dragging Jasper with her. I was left alone with Carlisle and Esme. Carlisle had moved further away from me as he had spoken to Alice and I darted to the window seat, which was located at the exact opposite end of the room, opposite the door. I leaned my back against the wall, facing the door, my legs bent between the two vampires and me. I watched them closely and they reciprocated.

Esme approached carefully, cautiously sitting on the edge of the bed closest to the window, about ten feet from me. Her eyes were confused and scared of my reactions and I felt more guilt from making her unhappy. I met her eyes as Carlisle joined her on the bed, keeping the distance between us.

"Bella," Esme said and her voice was pleading, "tell us what happened."

I closed my eyes and sighed tiredly, the fatigue not a result from lack of sleep. I laid my crossed arms on the tops of my knees and laid my face on my arms, looking out the window. There was nothing but darkness, understandable considering it was four in the morning. We weren't far from the main hub of the city but far enough away to see the never dimming lights of downtown Seattle. I closed my eyes and opened them again slowly, a tear falling onto my wrist.

"I don't really remember everything," I admitted. I refused to look at them as I spoke, instead hoping they would stay somehow, knowing they wouldn't.

"After coming home that night, he was so…hard and serious. Nothing I did would make him lighten up. His words scared me that night; I guess I should have figured out his intentions sooner based on what he said. Just as I had fallen asleep, he started kissing me and it grew from there…"

I stopped, not willing to talk about losing my virginity to my ex-boyfriend's parents. Instead, I skipped it entirely, going to a more painful part of the story.

"That last day…...He told me he didn't want me to come. That you all had left. He told me I was no good for your world. Of course, I wasn't going to force him to be with me if…if he didn't want to be. I wanted him to be happy, no matter what it cost me. At least, those were my thoughts at the time. He asked me to not do anything reckless or stupid and, in return, he would make it as if he never existed. A stupid promise, as if I could ever forget…"

"I…I tried to follow him. I got lost and I tripped and didn't have it in me to get up. I knew he was gone. I stayed there a long time before someone from the reservation found me and brought me back to Charlie's. Everyone was there, kids from school, adults, Dr. Gerandy. It was then I figured out that I had been missing for hours and it was the middle of the night. I remember falling asleep on the couch in the living room and…."

I stopped short. A long silence expanded in the room before Esme broke it.

"And what?" she asked softly.

"And that's it. I don't remember what happened after that. I remember that about 2 and half months ago that I was really sick and then took a pregnancy test, four actually. I remember the shock when they all came back positive. I remember little spurts here and there. It was only about a day or two ago when I glanced in the mirror and saw myself showing that it clicked. And I knew I couldn't do it. I had been unaware of my needs and the baby's needs. But I knew I couldn't bring myself to give birth to a child that would have to live the same life or worse life than what I was living now. I wouldn't allow the baby grow up without a father; I don't want him or her living a hard life. And I knew I wouldn't be able to support a baby properly. I just…I couldn't do it.

"It was then that I contemplated suicide and I knew that not much would happen if I ended up dead. Sure, Charlie will grieve but he will move on, if given enough time. My mother has Phil so they will be ok too. I couldn't bring myself to abort the baby; I never could. And if even I did, somehow, I couldn't live with myself if I did. So I decided to kill both of us. It will be easier in the long run."

I stopped, realizing I was talking endlessly, and let the room fall silent. I turned my face toward them and saw all four vampires staring at me in shock. Alice and Jasper stood in the door way. Esme and Alice looked like they were on the verge of crying. I sighed again and turned away, only slightly relieved to have that off my chest.

* * *

The person Carlisle had called was Emmett. He and Rosalie were about to arrive at the hotel. No one spoke to me but it was quiet enough that I heard the gist of what they were saying.

Alice had laid a plastic bag from Target on the bed near me before retreating to the other end of the room to give me space. After a minute, I got up and took the bag. I slowly moved toward the bathroom, knowing I would have to pass them to do it. They moved with me, leaving me enough space to get to the bathroom.

I changed into the white, wide-strap tank top and deep blue cotton boy shorts that Alice had found, surprised that she had been able to get these and not go to Victoria Secret or something and also because of how soft they were. Inside was also a soft, white throw blanket and, surprisingly, a copy of Shakespeare collections. Upon leaving the bathroom, I met Alice's eyes and thanked her silently. She smiled slightly, happy to have made me happy. I could still see the hurt in her eyes though.

I returned to the window seat, draping the blanket over my lower hald, allowing my belly bump to remain uncovered, and began to read, studiously ignoring my companions. It was only an hour or so later that there was a knock on the door. I looked up startled, momentarily engrossed in _Hamlet_. Oddly, the other vampires looked confused as well.

Carlisle stood up and the other three followed him. Carlisle opened the door a crack before opening it wider and stepping into the hallway. The other three followed, with Jasper standing in the crack to make sure I knew they weren't going to disappear. Though I was curious to the conversation going on in the hallway, I resisted the urge to investigate. My eyes dropped down to the book again, my eyes drinking in the words.

After a few minutes, Carlisle reentered the room and made toward me. Instinctively, I snapped the book shut and curled in on myself at his approach. He moved cautiously, hand forward, eyes cautious.

"Bella," he said, "Do you remember how we mentioned our cousins that live up in Denali, Alaska?"

I nodded after a moment confused.

"Well, we were staying with them and, when both Esme and I left, they were suspicious. Then when Emmett and Rosalie made to leave, they insisted on coming along. We explained the situation to them and they would like to meet you. I tried to explain to them that it isn't a good time but I'm leaving the decision to you. You don't have to talk to them if you don't want to, sweetheart."

I contemplated. I was pretty sure that the Cullens with me were actually here and not figments of my imagination, and meeting more vampires, specifically vegetarian vampires, may help ease the pain I still felt; even though thinking about the past four months still caused immediate pain, the pain was not as strong as it once was and I was willing to do anything to stop, further more to convince my imagination that maybe they might stay. I nodded slightly and Carlisle turned toward the door, nodding at Jasper.

The door opened and they all came filing in. Alice and Esme joined their mates and I watched the new comers with wary curiosity. Emmett and Rosalie were first. Emmett came bounding over to me and I pushed myself further back into the corner of the window seat.

"Bellsy, what's u—" he stopped dead when he saw my reaction. Hurt crumbled his features and I felt guilt all over again, a small whimper escaping my throat even as I cowered in my spot. Emmet took another generous step toward me.

"Bells, what's wrong? It's just me, Emmett," he said, his voice turning somewhat soothing. I turned my head away, leaning my forehead against the glass.

"Emmett, back off. She's scared enough," Rosalie's voice surprised me and I met her eyes, shocked. Emmett, surprised too, listened and moved back with her toward where Carlisle, Esme, Alice, and Jasper stood by the far wall. I turned my gaze to the other four vampires in the room as Carlisle introduced them.

"Bella, this is Elezear, Carmen, Tanya, and Kate," he said softly and each one nodded and smiled at their name. All their eyes were full of curiosity, unsurprising considering I was the first human they probably met that knew about their world, let alone the first one that was pregnant with a vampire's child. Kate's and Tanya's eyes were full of caution. Elezear's were full of intellectual curiosity as well as the general curiosity about the other three. Carmen's eyes, though, were kind, concerned, almost affectionate. She took a small step toward and I regarded warily.

"Hola, bella mia," she murmured soothingly. Her golden eyes met mine and I felt a weird sensation toward her; I was no more curiosu than afraid. I allowed her to take another small step.

"Bella is a suitable name for you, honey. You're exquisite," she complemented me. And I did something I had done in nearly four months. I blushed, looking down. It was nowhere near a normal blush as my skin become white and unhealthy looking from unintentional malnourishment, but it was a blush nonetheless.

"Thank you," I stuttered out, my eyes meeting her gaze before dropping once more. I expected her to approach me more but she didn't. Instead, she backed away, taking Elezear's hand and nodding slightly at Tanya and Kate. They sat carefully on the edge of the bed and turned their complete focus on me. Their smiles were tentative but friendly and welcoming.

"Have you ever been to Alaska, Bella?" Kate asked. I stared at her, startled, before shaking my head.

"It's so beautiful, especially at night. In this time of year, you even get lucky and get to see the Aurora Borealis. You've seen pictures of it, right?" Tanya asked. I nodded again after a moment.

"It's nothing compared to real life," she gushed.

And that's how it went. They spoke to me softly, asking me questions, talking about completely unrelated topics. I discovered I liked Tanya and Kate, and I found the same about Carmen and Elezear as they joined into various conversations between the two girls. All the while, the Cullens watched or did their own thing to occupy some time. I knew unconsciously that they were still regarding me closely. It was strange but comforting, being surrounded by my entire family, minus one.

They talked at me for hours before I began to yawn without consciously knowing it. At seeing this, they got off the bed and moved to the other side, giving me room to move to the bed. I did after a moment, curling up under the covers and facing Kate and Tanya as they continued to chat to me and with each other. It was nearly ten in the morning before my eyelids drooped of my own accord. Through my half-closed eyes, I saw Esme, Rosalie, and Tanya stand up and leave the room. Confused, I drifted into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

 **Hey everyone!**

 **I'm thrilled by the feedback from just a few hours of posting the first chapter! Thank you all so much!**

 **Some people have been asking if I'm going to update A Family's Love and my answer is unfortunately no :( It wasn't really going anywhere and my priority is updating this story, adding the final outtake for Miracle of Love, and possibly creating a new story revolving around Analissa.**

 **Sorry if that upsets anyone! Hopefully you still like the rest of my stories!**

 **Shoutouts:**

 **Marya1918, .7334, and my veteran followers sujari6 and Leibeezer! Love you all!**

 **~Melinda :)**


	3. Reunion

Chapter 3: Reunion

(Edward PoV)

Nothing.

That's what my existence consisted of. Nothing.

My mind had not absorbed anything in the world so there was not much to remember besides the nothingness. And the pain. The never-ending pain that had begun as soon as those words left my lips, the blasphemed words that should have even been thought, let alone uttered.

My love was gone. Gone forever, my love, my angel, my Bella.

Even thinking her name caused another round of pain to envelope me. Pain on top of pain. My existence was nothing but nothing and pain.

I felt a new pain at the back of my mind. A physical pain, aside from the endless emotional one. Out of old instinct, my mind focused on it momentarily, dully hoping it was something that would end my misery. My mind forced my eyes upon an odd sight. Three women stood above me, their eyes fearful and shocked. A small spark in my mind told me I knew them. I stared at them stupidly and they continued to speak at me, but I could not hear their words. I turned away from them, both mentally and physically, before I felt one of them grab my arm and spin me toward them. Her face was scared, horrified, and angry. Her eyes were a deep amber, the golden tint matching her long, golden hair. I knew I should know her, but I don't. I continued to look at her and saw her lips form one word.

"Bella."

Suddenly, my mind snapped to attention. Everything came back to me, slowly but gradually. I was South America, somewhere in Brazil, in some rundown hotel. It had been nearly four months since leaving my love and it was just after New Years, 2006. My eyes focused on the three women. I recognized Rosalie, my adoptive sister, and Esme, my adoptive mother, and our cousin, Tanya, all standing in front of me. Confusion came over my features, the first time an emotion was there at all in months. Esme kneeled besides me next to Rosalie, her hand going to my cheek.

Their thoughts came to me in one big gust; I was so out of it I couldn't even hear them. I gripped my hair with my hands, my head pounding from the onslaught of foreign thoughts. Slowly, very slowly, I processed it and my head snapped up.

"What's wrong with her?" I said, my voice raw from disuse. They all exchanged glances.

"What's wrong with her?" I repeated, my voice nearly a snarl. Esme sighed then rubbed my arm before answering softly.

"She….she tried to kill herself, Edward. She nearly jumped off a cliff."

I jumped up and nearly fell over from lack of balance. I suppose not moving for months does that to people, even vampires.

"Why?" My voice was strangled.

"She couldn't handle it. She couldn't handle the pain, the grief, and she couldn't handle…." Rosalie stopped short, exchanging a look. I turned toward them, desperation in my eyes.

"What? You're hiding something from me, all of you. Tell me what's wrong with her!"

The three female vampires said nothing for a long moment until Rosalie looked at me, her face hard yet terrified.

"Bella's pregnant, Edward. With your child."

I was stunned, completely and utterly shocked. I stared at her stupidly as a thousand emotions attacked me: shock, confusion, fear, terror, anger, desperation, all of them hit me at once and I crumbled to my knees, gripping the sides of my head with my hands. Shock at the pure impossibility of the prospect of Bella being pregnant with my child. Vampires could not reproduce sexually! It just wasn't possible or Rosalie and Esme would have figured out a way already. But Bella would never lie about that, I knew her well enough to know that. So it did not matter how, not now, when I found she tried to kill herself. Why? I'm not sure. She promised to not do anything stupid or reckless; why would she go back on that? Was it because she felt no obligation to keep her promise to me? Possible but not probable; Bella's nature made the idea unlikely.

I felt fear and terror for my mate's health, and for my child's health. She must not be in the completely right state of mind and who knows how that affected her, physically and mentally? Anger was directed inward; I could not believe I was stupid enough to leave her, leave her and my child. Granted, I did not know about her pregnancy, but that's no excuse. I needed to get back. I needed to fix what I did.

Underneath all the negative emotions, though, I also felt other emotions: awe and hope. Awe that my love was pregnant with my child, a product of that first night we spent together. Awe as I thought of her abdomen swell with my child within her. The picture in my head must not do the reality justice. I felt hope that I may be a father, despite that the past ninety years of my life I have been told differently. And hope that Bella, my angel as well as the mother of my unborn child, would forgive me.

"I need to go back," I said, my voice sounding revitalized with strength. I looked up at the three women, who, though seeming a little confused, simply nodded and made toward the car. I followed.

* * *

The hotel was on the distant edge of civilization from downtown Seattle; it was late night when we arrived and the lights of the city shone bright in the distance. I, however, was consumed with thoughts, both mine and of my mother, sister, and cousin. They had given me a rundown of all that had happened, as well as Bella's present condition. Her fear of my family, though not completely odd as regard to a normal human-vampire confrontation, worried me. She even was afraid of Carlisle, backing away from him and cringing from his proximity. She seemed to be protecting herself and the baby from them, perhaps partially from fear of danger but mostly from what had happened when we had left. I had resolved immediately that leaving was the worst decision that I ever made; it did nothing but hurt Bella and me and my family. I would face those consequences now, hoping that I could mend what had been done.

We reached the room, greeted by the rest of the family, Carlisle excluded. Alice wrapped her arms around me, squeezing me and mentally greeting me before backing into Jasper's embrace. My two brothers nodded their heads slightly in greeting, as did the Denali coven.

No one spoke; no one knew what to say. Instead, we all focused on the gentle breathing from inside the room and the slightly erratic heartbeat from within. Carlisle was with her and that alone made her slightly nervous. Carlisle, as well as the rest of the family, kept their thoughts strictly words; no one showed me images of Bella. They had decided to allow me to see for myself. This both scared me and intrigued me; I wanted very badly to see her, both to assess her condition myself but also to see the miracle for myself.

"Bella?" Carlisle asked, his voice soft. There was a slight catch in her breathing at her name. I imagined she looked up at him, curious and expectant.

"Bella, he's here," Carlisle informed her. Her heartbeat stopped and we all held our breaths for one long, agonizing moment before slightly relaxing as it began beating again, although irregularly.

"You don't have to see him if you don't want to. I'm leaving the decision to you," Carlisle told her, voice gentle, soothing. I closed my eyes, the moment hanging in the balance as Bella made her decision. A long moment passed where no one but Carlisle knew her choice.

It was silent for what seemed like an eternity; finally, though, the door opened, Carlisle slipping through. His eyes met mine and I saw the haunted, pained look in my eyes reflected in his eyes. He put his hand on my shoulder, mentally expressing his disappointment, fear, desperation, and my eyes downcast at the shame. Carlisle squeezed my shoulder and I met his gaze again. He nodded toward the door, as if to tell me _make this right_. I gulped and slowly slipped through the door, closing it behind me.

The hotel room was spacious, double king beds lining the inside wall, a by window right across from me, a bathroom at my left. Two lamps were on, one at the desk and the other on the nightstand. Bella sat cross legged at the end of one of the beds, furthest from the door. She was looking down, her hair falling to hide her face from me. She had a blanket wrapped around her body, only her shoulders and head not covered. She was playing with her hands, obviously nervous; I was too. I took one long, steadying breath then stepped up to her, making my presence known.

She stiffened slightly but made no other move to acknowledge my presence. I continued my advance until I stopped as I was standing in front of her. I knelt down to my knees; she did not move but I felt her eyes were on what she could see of me. I made no move to touch her as I knew she did not want to be touched. As I knelt before her, I made the first move.

"Bella?' I said, my voice soft. She didn't say anything, seeming too scared to move.

"Bella, I….I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," I said and, as I was kneeling before her, I felt the need to let it all out, to beg.

"Bella, I'm so sorry for this. I never meant to hurt you like this. I didn't know, though that's no excuse. I should have stayed; I never should have left! It was the worst decision I ever made and I'll never be able to make up for it. You must despise me, I've ruined everything." I looked down at my hands, at myself, responsible for this horrible situation.

"I…don't…." Bella's voice was rough from misuse but still understandable. Her head tilted toward me and I saw her for the first time. Her chocolate eyes were dull, scared, even terrified, and pain was etched in them; pain was etched in her whole being and I felt another wave of anger at myself and despair for hurting her so badly. Bella wet her lips and tried again.

"I...don't…want you to stay…"

My heart trembled before cracking and breaking. I was too late; I had done too much damage. My face crumbled and I felt for the first time since becoming a vampire that I may actually shed tears. I did not know what to do.

"You…feel obligated…to stay…" Bella's voice continued and I clung to every word, because I believed I wouldn't hear her voice for much longer.

"You know..." she said, "You're…only staying….because you think…you have to…and I…don't want you….to be unhappy…"

My face mirrored the shock I felt and her response quickly fell into place.

"Bella, sweetheart, I'm not staying because I have to. I love you, I always have, I always will. Nothing I said in the woods that day was true. It was all a lie to get you to move on. You were unsafe in my world I couldn't allow myself to put you in danger anymore. I had to leave, all of us had to, to make you move on and live the human life you deserve. The plan obviously didn't work and I hate myself for saying, for deceiving you that way. But I didn't think you would believe me! I've told thousands of times how much I love you; I didn't expect you to believe me so easily!"

She looked down and I saw fresh tear tracks roll over her older ones.

"It never made sense for you to love me; I always knew that."

My heart broke and I ached to reach out and hold her; I stayed fast, though, and tried to explain to her through my words.

"No, Bella, no. That's not true. _I'm_ the one not deserving of _you_. You are amazing, perfect. You're kind, selfless, caring, and absolutely perfect. I am a monster, and that has been proved by both leaving you and lying to you." Her eyes were confused and I pleaded with her to believe me.

"Bella, I'm so sorry. It's even worse now that I am asking your forgiveness, even though I am not at all deserving." I turned my face down, not wanting to see her face twist in disgust at my request, turn to furious as she ordered me away.

I felt a warm hand touch my cheek and I looked up, shocked as her hand moved to my neck, tangling her fingers in the hair at the base of my neck. Her eyes were full of tears, tracks streaming down her cheeks and neck.

"I love you, and I forgive you. I always have, and I always will, and there's nothing you can do about it." She said. My heart, which had just felt like it was going to shatter into a million pieces, soared. Her hand on my neck tightened slightly, trying to pull me closer. I inched a little bit closer toward her and she didn't flinch. I made to return her touch when she spoke and I froze.

"Just…" she began before stopping.

"Just what, sweetheart?" I probed, searching her eyes, desperation in my eyes. She squeezed her eyes shut, more tears escaping, before meeting my gaze.

"Just stay….I can't….I can't deal with this….if you leave….I just can't," she began to ramble. I reached out gentle and fit my hand to her left cheek.

"Shh, Bella. I'm not going anywhere. Not unless you order me away. I swear to you that." I promised. Our eyes were locked and the intensity in them sealed that vow. She nodded, her eyes pooling in more tears. We moved simultaneously, our lips touching. The kiss was long and sweet; nothing else mattered. I was back, we were reunited. That was all that mattered in that moment. We broke apart at the same time, allowing her to breathe and she leaned her face into my hand that still lay against her cheek and I saw her body relax, as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Her eyes closed and even I could sense her exhaustion, even though I wasn't an empath like Jasper. My eyes traveled over her very malnourished form and I already made lists of food to get her back to a healthy weight. My eyes fell to her abdomen, hidden beneath the large blanket. Unintentionally, I reached forward to remove it, to see the proof for myself. I hesitated though, looking at Bella for approval. She had been watching and she leaned back on the bed, supporting her own weight with her left hand behind her slightly while the other held mine. She nodded slightly and gently removed the blanket from over her stomach.

My breath stopped.

Her stomach was small, fitting her petite size, never noticeable in anything less form fitting than the tank top she wore now. Her bump was distinct though against the white cotton and it was purely incredible, even in its simplicity. Proof of the life within in her would have brought me to tears if I could cry; but I couldn't, and I reached out tentatively and laid my hand against her belly. Her stomach moved up and down in time with her breathing and I was surprised by how rock hard it felt. My hand curved around her belly, rubbing it gently. Bella hiccupped suddenly and I looked up to see her on the verge of tears. Immediately, I panicked.

"Bella, what's wrong? What is it?" I asked, looking her over carefully. She shook her head though, wiping her eyes uselessly. I placed my hand against her cheek, my eyes wide with confusion and worry.

"I just….I never thought I would see you do that," she murmured, her eyes meeting mine. I understood, nodding. I leaned up and kissed her forehead delicately, before placing my forehead against hers.

"It will be okay, I promise. You'll both be fine. I will protect you. Everything will be okay." I swore to her. She nodded against my forehead.

Then she broke down.

She started sobbing uncontrollably. Swiftly, I pulled her into my arms and sat on the bed with her half in my lap. She curled into me, holding onto my shirt and arm for dear life, crying her eyes out. I wrapped the blanket around her, rocking gently and whispering to her soothingly. Outside, I heard Carlisle recommend that the family go hunting and they left me and my mate to our reunion.

 **Hey everyone! Sorry it's been so long!**

 **I just got situated at college so I didn't have much time to update! Plus, I had different ways I wanted this chapter to go and I'm very happy with the way it turned out!**

 **Ask any questions you may have and I'll do my best to answer them! Next chapter should be coming up soon, along with a new story similar to** _ **Analissa**_ **. Please check it out!**

 **You know I love reviews!**

 **~Melinda :)**


	4. Family

Chapter 4: Family

(Bella PoV)

I cried for a long time, I don't even know how long. Edward held me the entire time, rocking me gently and whispering sweet nothings in my ear. Eventually though, I calmed, the sobs quieting down though the tears continued to fall from my cheeks. Edward wiped them away tenderly, kissing my forehead before lifting me in his arms. He laid me down on the comforter, kneeling beside me, his eyes on my stomach once more. I leaned back into the pillow as his hands being to run over my abdomen. His eyes held an emotion I have never seen before, an awe and a pride. His eyes met mine.

"It just feels surreal. I can see it with my own eyes and yet…." he trailed off.

"You don't believe it's really happening," I finished for him. He nodded. I tucked my arm underneath the pillow as he continued to run his fingers over my skin, our eyes never wavering from each other's faces.

"How are you?" he asked, hesitant. I shrugged, partly because I did not want to worry him, but mostly because I didn't really know, and I didn't want to admit that to him. He noticed my reaction and frowned, his fingers momentarily leaving my abdomen to brush under my eyes where dark circles lay, my collarbone where the skin was thin you could feel every bone, my upper side where my ribs were clearly visible. He sighed, saddened.

"Neither of us took care of ourselves," he said as I noted his eyes, blacker than I had ever seen them. I reached out and laid my hand against his cheek, stroking underneath his eyelid. I sighed too.

"Where is the family?" I asked.

"Outside. Why?" he asked, confused. I sighed again, my exhale unsteady from both fear and fatigue.

"Go hunt. Please," I added as he began to protest, "Both of us are in bad health and you can recover much quicker than I can. And one of us has to be at full strength. Please. Just until you're full. It will do no good for you to be weak. Besides, I need to sleep. The family will be here. You don't need to go far."

Edward's eyes were panicked; mine were too at the thought of separation after just being reunited. But I knew we both needed to get fed. Edward saw that in my eyes and, after a long moment, he nodded. He made to get up, pressing his lips to my belly momentarily—and I thought I was going to start crying again—before kissing me gently.

"I love you both. Don't stay awake too long," he murmured against my skin. I smiled, nodding and sitting up as the family entered, all ten of them filing in. Edward kissed my forehead once more before vanishing, wanting to hunt and get back as quickly as possible. I turned warily toward the Cullens. Alice took a tentative step toward me; I opened my arms for her. She darted into my embrace, hugging me back tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Alice," I murmured as I buried my face into her shoulder. She pulled back to look at me.

"It doesn't matter now; you're safe. Just don't ever scare me like that again," she said sternly. I smiled and laughed slightly, nodding. Alice looked down at my stomach and I sat up more, taking her hand and placing it to my stomach. She rubbed against my skin gently, mesmerized.

"It feels so odd," she said. I smiled.

"For a human pregnancy or for a vampiric pregnancy?" I asked teasingly, settling back into the pillows. She shrugged.

"I've never touched any pregnant woman's stomach before so I don't know," she admitted. At that moment, Carlisle stepped forward, his eyes silently asking for approval. I nodded and Alice moved toward the center of the bed as he sat on the side. He placed his hands on my belly expertly, feeling for abnormalities.

"It certainly is unique. There is no give from your uterus as there is for human pregnancies. It may be the placenta has some of the makeup of vampire skin," he said, his eyes far away as he reveled in the intellectual hypotheses. After a moment though, his eyes changed to a similar proud feeling.

"Thank you, Bella," he whispered, almost too low for me to hear.

"For what?"  
"Making me a grandfather," he said simply. His eyes rose to mine and I smiled, blushing gently. I looked up and met Esme's eyes. I reached out to her and she came immediately, one hand going to my cheek while the other went to my belly.

"Oh, darling, you scared me. You need to get nourished, starting tomorrow," she insisted. I nodded, pressing my cheek into her hand, the tears starting to fall. Esme shushed me gently, wiping away the tears. She moved aside as Rosalie and Emmett approached, both their eyes wary. I bit my lip as I met Rosalie's gaze, ready to flinch away from the harshness in it. There was none though, just a tenderness and a wariness equal to my own.

"Rosalie…." I murmured, unsure. She approached me carefully, taking Carlisle's spot.

"I'm sorry, Bella. For what happened when we left, for the way I've acted," she murmured quickly, her golden eyes wary and guilty. I stared at her, shocked and confused, before reaching out to touch her hand. She accepted my touch and met my eyes.

"The first part isn't your fault; as for the second part, you're forgiven," I told her softly. She smiled tentatively at me and I returned the gesture. I took her hand and placed it against my belly. She rubbed her hand gently, a small smile on her face.

"The baby deserves an aunt like you," I murmured. Rosalie smiled wider.

"Hey! What about me?!" Alice exclaimed and everyone laughed.

"You're going to torture the poor kid with clothes," Emmett interjected. Alice stuck her tongue at him and we all laughed harder. It was the first time I'd ever really laughed since they left. Rosalie leaned sideways to allow Emmett to press a hand to my belly.

"It feels so weird; especially when she laughs," he said childishly, which just made me laugh harder while Rosalie slapped on the back of the head. Alice leapt from the bed, pulling Jasper from his rigid position, dragging him to the bed. His eyes were uncertain as he sat beside me.

"Bella, I…" he began.

"Don't continue if you're going to apologize," I interrupted. He stopped and Alice's smile was wry.

"I don't blame you, Jasper. It was a paper cut. It was my fault," I said.

"If I can't blame myself, you can't blame yourself, darling," he insisted, brushing the hair from my face gently. I smiled at his remark as he looked down at my stomach, unsure. Alice encouraged him and he complied, pressing his palm to my stomach delicately. I smiled before fighting a yawn, leaning back into the pillows. Carlisle murmured quietly to allow me to sleep and the vampires gave me space, allowing me to fall into a deep sleep.

* * *

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the cool arms curved around my hips and hands laying against the skin of my stomach. I stretched, curling further into Edward's embrace. He chuckled, kissing my forehead in greeting.

"Good morning, Mommy," he murmured in my ear. I laughed softly as my hand joined his on my belly.

"Good morning yourself, Daddy," I replied, cuddling into him and my eyes drooping. He kissed my cheek before gently pulling me up into a sitting position. He leaned back against the headboard, his legs on either side of me, my head tucked underneath his chin. I exhaled slowly, turning onto my back and snuggling back into his shoulder. His hands gently over my abdomen endlessly, stroking my skin.

"We'll be leaving soon," he said casually. I turned my head up to look at him curiously.

"We are getting a house somewhere warm and remote; we all need a vacation and time away from the world. Carlisle thinks it would be a good place to be to help you relax. We can stay there your entire pregnancy, if you want." He continued. I turned his arms, lying sideways with my head against his shoulder.

"That's sounds really nice," I said, nuzzling his neck as I fell back into my oblivion.

 **Hey guys! Sorry for taking so long! So much dram at school!**

 **Sorry for the weird ending, btw. Very awkward, I feel :/**

 **Ok, I'm doing somethings different this time. I am having a hard time coming up with ideas for this story because the ideas are being transferred to my other story** ** _Neverland_** **and its sequel. There are two parts of this:**

 **Try to guess the title of** ** _Neverland_** **'s sequel from the list below:**

 **-Lost Girl**

 **-Secret**

 **-Topaz**

 **-Mystery**

 **-We Can Fly**

 **-Pain**

 **-Amethyst**

 **-Surprise**

 **-Rise of Dawn**

 **2) Comment requests of what you would like to see in this story. I've done** ** _Miracle of Love_** **and I chose what I wanted to include in Bella's pregnancy and now I'm giving you the opportunity for me to write what you want to your idea and describe it so I have an idea and I will pick ideas at random and write a chapter or two. I already have a rough idea for the birth but I would love your suggestions!**

 **To everyone in the US, Happy Thanksgiving!**

 **~Melinda :)**


	5. Birth Part 1

Chapter 5: Birth

Five months had past since Edward and his family had returned, and they have been the best five months of my life. We had moved away from Forks for a while, to Isle Esme, the island Carlisle had bought Esme as an anniversary gift. The warmth of the tropical island right below the Equator was constant though not humid, but the icy coolness of the Cullen's skin, and air conditioning when a vampire wasn't available, made the weather perfect. Charlie had been outraged upon Edward's return, but he could not do anything since I was of legal age. We had a huge argument, and hadn't spoken since.

A couple of weeks after we had settled on Isle Esme, Carlisle did an official gynecological check up. He had checked me at the first chance he could when they returned, to determine both my and the baby's health. Immediately, he and Esme and Edward all worked to help me get back to a healthy weight, and, by my fifth month, I was back to an acceptable state of health. He had checked to make sure there were no problems with the baby during the initial exam but had been unable to get a hold of an ultrasound machine until we had settled on Isle Esme. When he did examine me, we all got the second biggest shock of our lives.

We found out I was carrying twins.

The family was ecstatic, jumping up and down and hugging us while Jasper had to physically hold Alice down as she screeched "Double the shopping!" at the top of her lungs. Edward and I had frozen in shock, but after we had recovered, he held me tightly to him, murmuring words of love and praise in my ear. I was terrified beforehand about the prospect of raising a child, but now I was even more scared by the prospect of raising two. However, I knew my family would be there for me, for us. It was a blessing, one which I never thought I would be granted with.

Once I had reached five months, Edward and Carlisle thought it would be best to move back to the States, closer to a hospital or birthing center with all the equipment needed for the delivery. The island was deserted other than us, which meant the closest hospital was in Rio de Janeiro, a boat ride away. I wasn't comfortable about going into labor on the island and having to get to Rio to give birth, so the family decided to move in with our cousins, who graciously welcomed us with open arms. Tanya and her sister had taken a liking to me, Carmen dotted on me as much as Esme and Edward did, and Eleazar and Carlisle enjoyed researching vampire-human offspring myths to hopefully find more information.

Alice threw a gigantic baby shower, as expected. We chose not to find out what genders the babies were, so Alice simply doubled the decorations to use pink _and_ blue. Carmen, Esme, and she all came to me about creating a nursery in the house the Cullens had found to inhabit while in Denali—the Denali's house was a little too small for 13 people. I of course told them to enjoy themselves, as I had no preference either way. Of course, they didn't know if it would two girls, two boys, or one of each, so they chose a neutral paint color and interchangeable items such as blue/pink bedding, clothing, etc.

I was not capable of doing much once I hit my sixth month mark; though I was significantly smaller than other mothers carrying multiples, carrying two nearly full-grown babies severely threw off my balance, not to mention pushed me to exhaustion. I spent most days sitting or laying down, allowing Edward or Esme or Alice to do everything for me. Normally, I would have never let them pamper me like this, but I was in no state to argue, nor did I have the energy to do much of anything. The last weeks of my pregnancy included resting and eating and watching TV and hanging out with various members of the family, with Edward almost always by my side, leaving only to hunt.

My pregnancy overall was surprisingly smooth. The worst of it had been before Edward had come back and I was in such bad state of health. Of course I had aches and cravings, but it was all bearable when you had the greatest family in the world looking after you. I was constantly tired, but I didn't mind all that much, content to spend the next two months preparing for our little miracles to arrive.

What I didn't know was that they were too anxious to wait.

I awoke in the middle of the night to a deep cramping in my lower abdomen. I groaned, curling in on myself. I'd had experienced Braxton Hicks contractions a couple of times in the past few weeks, contractions that were merely the "dress rehearsal" to real labor, as Carlisle put it. The first time I felt them, Edward nearly had a panic attack, and his knowledge of the existence of Braxton Hicks contractions apparently went out the window. Carlisle was present though and had calmed everyone down, predominantly his son. He encouraged me walk around, which had always stopped the contractions before.

I felt Edward's arm curling around me.

"Are you ok? What is it?" he murmured quietly, his voice concerned, as always.

"Braxton Hicks," I muttered as I shook my head, forcing myself out of bed and began to pace. Edward sat up from his position, watching me silently. He knew what I was doing and slid out of bed silently. He wore nothing but sweatpants, his chest bare to keep me cool as I slept. He leaned on the dresser that stood perpendicular to the bed and my pacing, patient. Usually, pacing a few laps would ease the discomfort from the Braxton Hicks, but not this time. I continued to pace, stopping to lean over Edward's lap, bracing my hands on the tops of his thighs during the breaks in the contractions. I don't know how long it had been when Edward finally spoke, his voice more concerned.

"Bella, are you sure you're not in labor?" he asked. I shook my head fiercely.

"That's impossible. I'm only seven months along," I informed him, as if he didn't know.

"Your pregnancy is supposed to be impossible. The gestation period for vampire hybrids may be different than for a human. I think we should call Carlisle," he insisted. Carlisle was taking night shifts at the local hospital in Fairbanks, letting him use his CV to access maternity equipment for me, and allowing him to be my practicing doctor when the time came.

"No," I retorted. "It's too early. I'm not due for eight more weeks." Edward didn't respond, letting me continue my pacing. I had no idea who else was in the house, but no one came up to disturb us. I came over to brace against him once more; I could feel his eyes on me, worried. I was sweating through my clothes, a thin set of navy pajama shorts and a black thin strapped tank top. Edward laid his fingers across my forehead delicately, silently cooling me down. I smiled at him in what I hoped was comforting way. He tried to smile back but I could see the concern behind the expression. I moved again, making my way for the thousandth time to the bookshelf at the other end of my pacing trail.

As the contraction ended, I suddenly gasped, my hand reaching out to grasp the edge of the bookshelf as I felt a small pop and fluid running down my legs. Edward was at my side in an instant, supporting my weight.

"Alice, Esme," he called loudly, though they could hear him if they were anywhere near the house. They appeared within a moment, taking in the scene before them.

"Call Carlisle," Edward commanded, his voice tight and tense. Allie immediately flipped her phone open, speed dialing Carlisle at the hospital. He picked up quickly and Alice turned the phone on speaker phone. Edward quickly explained what had happened.

"How far apart are the contractions?" Carlisle asked, his calm juxtaposing his son's underlying panic. Edward told him, obviously keeping tabs on the times and lengths of the contractions I had interpreted as Braxton Hicks.

"Her water just broke," Edward finished, his eyes darting to me where I still clung to the bookshelf, one hand on the edge of the wood while the other Edward held, his other hand wrapped around me.

"Well then, bring her in," Carlisle told him. Edward acknowledged him before Alice hung up, speeding out of the room, presumably to get the car started and to pack my hospital bag. We hadn't done since it yet since we hadn't expected to need to so soon. Edward was murmuring to Esme quickly and she flitted from the room.

"It's too early," I said again, my voice a whisper. The terror was obvious in my tone. Edward hushed me softly.

"I know, but the babies have decided it's time to come out. It will be fine, I promise you. Now, let's get you to Carlisle," he murmured. I nodded almost mechanically, leaning into him. Esme was suddenly besides Edward and I, prying my fingers off the bookshelf and helping me downstairs and settling me into the passenger seat while Edward got into the driver's seat, Alice opening the back door to toss my hospital bag inside.

"It'll be fine, sweetheart," Esme told me, her soft voice comforting. Panic washed through me.

"You're not coming?" I asked, panicked. She smiled and kissed my forehead delicately.

"We will, but we are going to call Rosalie, Emmett, and Jasper first. You and Edward need to get there as quickly as possible. We'll be right behind you," she promised. I nodded after a moment before Edward rolled the window shut, fishtailing the car around and speeding toward the hospital. He took my hand automatically, driving while barely looking at the road. I gasped in shock as a contraction hit, the first since my water had broken. This one was much more intense than any of the ones I felt before. Unconsciously, I gripped Edward's hand tightly, and he stroked a thumb over the back of my hand, his eyes on my face rather than the road.

"Breathe, darling, breathe through it," he encouraged. I took a jagged breath.

"Good, Bella. We'll be there soon. Just hold on," he promised.

We arrived at the hospital quickly, due to Edward's driving. Carlisle was waiting for us and he helped Edward lift me up onto a hospital bed on wheels. Unwilling to leave me, Edward tossed the Volvo's keys into the car, knowing Alice and Esme would be not far behind to park it. He walked alongside me as Carlisle maneuvered the bed through the hallways of the hospital. He held my left hand in his right while the other was my forehead, both cooling my feverish skin and brushing the hair from my face. I was breathing heavily, the urgency of the situation overpowering my senses. I could feel myself panicking and Edward saw it in my eyes.

"Shhh, Bella, it's all going to be fine. You and the babies are safe," he told me. We ended our journey in a large private room. Nurses came in and out, bustling around. One of them gave me a white gown with small blue dots on it to change into. Edward helped me out of my soaking pajamas and into the hospital gown. Unlike other hospital gowns, this one was made of soft cotton rather than plastic-y paper, and had a tie to wrap around my swollen belly. I settled into the hospital bed and a couple of nurses pulled the bars on either side up. Edward maneuvered around them, smoothing the blanket as nurses hooked me up an IV and wrapped a stretchy band around my belly, placing the sensor against my skin expertly to monitor the babies' heartbeats. Once they were done, they left us alone.

Edward settled next to my on the bed, his left hand holding mine firmly while the other stroked my cheek. I breathed deeply with the contraction, holding his hand to my face. Once the pain ebbed, I sighed, my head dropping to the pillow. I looked up at him after a moment, a small but tired smile on my lips. He returned it automatically.

"We're having a baby," I murmured. His smile widened and he leaned forward to press his forehead to mine.

"We're having a baby, Bella," he repeated.

* * *

"Oh, gawd," I gasped, my eyes scrunching shut as another sob burst from my mouth.

"I know, darling, I know. Keep going, keep pushing," Edward's voice was close to me, encouraging me on. My right hand held his in a death grip, my other hand held by Esme, both of them letting me use them as a brace for each round of contractions. For a moment, I was glad they had superhuman strength because I believed if they were human I would have already broken their fingers. Carlisle stood at the end of the bed, which had been folded to half its normal size. The bottom half of the bed folded underneath itself, leaving enough room for me to be sitting almost at a ninety degree angle laying on the bed with my legs spread.

The nurses had left at Carlisle's request, honoring my desire to have this be as private as possible. My face scrunched up as another contraction came on and I screamed, barely hearing Carlisle's and Edward's encouragement to push. I obeyed, bearing down into my lower abdomen, pushing until I had to take a breath. I sucked in a jagged breath and began again, the effort of pushing now coupled with a new agony beyond that of the contractions. I could feel a stinging pain growing steadily with my progress and I couldn't keep back the whimpers and cries as that pain escalated. I collapsed back onto the bed, gasping for wiped my face and neck gently with a damp washcloth, hoping to cool down my feverish body.

"You're doing beautifully, Bella," Carlisle assured me.

"Doesn't feel like it," I muttered, halfway between a snort and a sob. Edward pressed his lips delicately to my forehead. No spoke as I rested, my loud breathing the only sound in the room. Carlisle glanced at the monitor as I began to feel the next build in the contraction.

"Okay, Bella, let's go again," he encouraged, his soft tenor voice professional but somehow still comforting. I don't know how many babies he had delivered in his lifetime, but he certainly had a positive bedside manner. Edward echoed his father, and I tried to listen, but I could feel my strength waning with each contraction.I released the pushing urge with a gasp, and along with it, my will to continue.

"I can't do this, Edward. I can't, I can't," my words were coming out between sobs and jagged panting. The pain was too much, I couldn't handle it.

"You can, Bella. You're being so strong, love," he murmured to me, brushing my hair that was sticking to my sweating forehead.

"The head is almost out, Bella," Carlisle informed me. "You're almost there. Just a little bit more." I closed my eyes, trying to find the will in me to keep going. I felt Edward's hand in mine, his fingers grazing my face; I felt Carlisle and Esme's hands on me, their voices reassuring. I took a deep breath and then forced my upper body, pushing down with all my strength. I choked back a scream as the burning sting between my legs escalated past an unbearable degree. My fingers dug into Edward's and Esme's skin, though that resulted in was my fingers aching more than before.

"Good girl, Bella," Carlisle praised me. Edward kissed my forehead.

"The head is out, Bella. Our baby is almost here," he told me. I looked up at his face. His face, through drawn and tense from watching me in this amount of pain, I saw the excited and proud smile on his face. The amount of happiness coming from his expression, I couldn't help but smile a little too. I let out a small sigh, panting to regain some of my breath back before pushing once more at Carlisle's word. With another strong push, I felt the baby's body slip out of me, Carlisle immediately transferring the wriggling form to my chest. I heard Edward's and Esme's voices praise me, Edward leaning down to press his face into my hair as he laid eyes on the baby, who let out a shocked scream before continuing to cry, as expected. Instinctively, my arms curled around the baby as Carlisle wiped the excess blood and fluid from the infant's skin.

"It's a boy," Carlisle said, a smile on his lips as he finished cleaning the baby. Tears continued to stream down my face as I held my son in my arms, looking up at Edward. I could tell he would be crying if it were possible, his golden eyes glassy and his breath coming unsteadily. He nuzzled into my hair affectionately and pressed his lips delicately to mine; I returned the gesture for a moment before pulling away, my eyes going back to the infant in my arms. The baby's eyes were open and I could see they were the same color as mine, the deep warm brown staring back at me, completely alert.

"Anthony," I murmured. Edward kissed my cheek gently, the smile on his face undeniable. The baby was cradled against my chest and he turned into my skin, seeming to search. I realized what he wanted immediately, as did Esme. She helped me untie my gown enough to pull the fabric away from one of my breasts, instructing me on how to hold him within reach. Anthony, acting on instinct it seemed, latched on and began suckling. I sighed as I lay my head back against the hospital pillows then scrunched my face up, a low moan slipping through my teeth.

"Are the contractions the same?" Carlisle asked, his eyes now on the monitor. I shook my head.

"I don't want to push yet," I informed him. He nodded. Edward looked up at him, his fingers unconsciously grazing the edge of my face.

"How long will it take?" he asked. Carlisle turned toward the ultrasound machine and turned it on. Within a minute, he had a grainy image on the screen. He pointed at the white outline of the other baby.

"Baby B is farther up than expected. Usually, twins come right after the other, but it's been several minutes and Bella's not feeling any urge to push. He or she may just take a little while longer than Anthony," Carlisle told us. He turned and smiled at us.

"I guess he was anxious to meet his parents," he added. We all smiled in response, looking down at the subject in question. Edward nuzzled my neck gently, his face inches from his son.

"How long is your brother or sister going to make us wait?" he whispered.

* * *

 **Hey everyone! So, I totally forgot about this story…..please don't hurt me! But I didn't have much ideas or motivation on how to continue. But I was going through my stories and felt a sudden urge to bring this story to an end. This is not the last chapter; there will be at least one more! :)**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed it! Please let me know what you think by reviewing! They make my day! :D**

 **~Melinda :)**


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